Sign letter



Jan. 23, 1951 J B, MCMAT'H 2,539,095

SIGN LETTER Filed Jan. l2, 1948 ci@ g /ff Vfw W 3mm 2 John B. MCA/10H7www@ Patented jan. 23, 1951 UNITED `S'I`A'1`ES .PATEN T OFFICE A Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful irnprovements in sign lettersand methods for producing the same.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved metal, fabricatedletter particularly adapted to be coated with a glaze or vitreousmaterial.

Another' object of the invention is to provide an improved method offabricating and coating a sign letter wherein sharp bending of the sheetmetal is avoided.

An important object of the invention is to provide a method and letter,whereby elec-tric spot welding maybe applied to join the parts and thewelds substantially concealed; such a method and letter avoiding edgewelds and providing smoother edge joints.

A further object of the `invention is to provide an improved method andletter which while including welding of the parts does not depend solelyupon such Welding to hold the parts in their related positions.

Still another object of the invention Vis to provide a method andletter, whereby the raw edges of the sheets or strips are moreadequately covered and protected and water leaks to the interior of theletter, are materially reduced.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved methodand letter, whereby expansion, shifting or distortion ofthe elements,during a high temperature coating, maybe compensated without renderingthe letter commercially objectionable.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method andletter, whereby the letter is reinforced and is less likely to distortor lose its desired configuration, although sufficient thermal expansionand shifting is provided to compensate the reaction of the sheet metalwhen subjected to relatively high temperatures.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing,wherein examples of the invention are shown, and wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a block letter with the lowerextremities in transverse section, made in accordance with the inventionand prior to coating,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional view through one of thesections or members of the uncoated letter, and

Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, of a slightly modified letter.

By way of explanation and illustration of the invention, the letter Rhas been chosen with `the understanding that the invention is applicableto all letters, numerals and other block structures or shapes fabricatedof sheet metal and generally coated with a nishing material, such asporcelain enamel or other vitreous or siliceous compositions, usuallyapplied by baking or firing.

In the drawing, the numeral lil designates a block letter which ispreferably formed of sheet metal. In general, each letter or shapeincludes, upright or vertical side walls l l, a bottom l2 and acountersunk or inset face or stroke piece or strip I3, each of whichmembers or elements may be made in one or more pieces, according to thecontours or configurations which are involved.

Usually the face strip I3 is made of a single piece of ilat sheet metal,properly cut or shaped to establish the desired contour or congurationand the bottom l2 is made likewise, except of greater width and length.The side walls Il are formed of one or more metal strips and where twoor more strips are employed, their upright ends are abutted or joined soas to form continuous side walls. Since the side wall structure is thesame, whether short or long or curved, a description of any one memberwill suice for all.

Each side wall section, a section being any one of the members, such asthe loop A or the leg B, comprises an upright metal strip I-i having aninturned lateral or horizontal flange i5 along its bottom edge and a rawupper edge i8. The flanges l5 of opposite walls overlie the bottom l2,which latter has its outer edges terminating flush with the outer facesof the side walls and is secured to said flanges by bolts Il' or otherfastenings.

The face strip is supported and secured by upright hanger strips i8,hanging fiat against the upper inner faces of the side strips it. Eachhanger strip has a laterally directed flange 59 along its lower edge,such flanges being directed inwardly of the letter section andsupporting the face strip E3, which has its longitudinal edges abuttingor adjacent the hanger strips. The upper longitudinal edge portion ofthe hanger strip is bent or folded to form a longitudinal hanger 20,which has an inverted U-shape in cross-sec-1 tion, so as to hook on orsnugly receive the upper edge it of the side strip I4.

The metal of the hanger is folded so that the space in the hanger issubstantially the same in width as the strip Ul, whereby a relativelytight t of the strip in the hanger is had. rhis structure assures aneflicient joint and at the same time avoids bending the sheet metal uponitself and creating a bend score or a relatively sharp edge along thelongitudinal top of the hanger, as well as not weakening the structureto the extent that would occur with a sharp bend. Further, thelongitudinal top of the hanger being comparatively wider and moregradually curved, a better foundation for the coating, will be provided.

In order to fasten the parts in position, spot welding is employed. Spotwelds are applied at the points indicated by the numerals 2| and 22,respectively. It will be observed that these welds are not applied atthe edges of any of the strips or parts. The welds 2l are between thefiat bottom of the face strip I3 and the flanges i9, while the welds 22are between the fiat medial portion of each hanger strip i8 and the sidestrip i4. The welds are spaced longitudinal of the correlated parts.

From the foregoing it is obvious that when the letter is subjected tobaking or firing heat, of the order of 1300 to 1600 F., thermalexpansion may take place and even though some of the welds break loose,the parts would remain in place due to the construction. t would bepossible in some instances to omit the welds 22 and depend upon otherfasteners or the clamping engagement of the hanger 20 over the edge i6to hold the parts together.

When the fabrication of the letter is completed, said letter is coatedin the usual manner with porcelain enamel or other vitreous or siliceouscompositions and then fired or baked. The hanger strip I8 provides arigid reinforcing alongl the contours of the letter and makes ele-c ricspot welding practical. rThe flanges I5 provide adequate supports forthe face strip i3, which latter is, in no instance, entirely dependentupon the welds to hold it in place. Due to the structure, the welds maybe spaced at greater distances than would otherwise be necessary andthus, the number of welds for a given letter is f greatly reduced. Byplacing the welds at points spaced from the edges and between the iiatsurfaces of strips or pieces, such welds are substantially concealed anddo not mar the edges of said strips or pieces.

In Fig. 3, a slightly modified construction is shown and includes anidentical bottom 23 and stroke or face strip 2.@ and similar side walls25 and hanger strips 25. Inturned flanges 2l are formed along the lowerlongitudinal edge portion of the side walls 2:'2 so as to overlie thebottom 23, while the hanger strips 26 have similar flangesvZS forsupporting 'the stroke 2. A hanger 29, similar to the hanger is formedon each side wall by bending its upper longitudinal edge portion uponitself. The upper edge portion of the strip 2E engages within the hanger29. The parts may be welded together in the manner hereinbeforedescribed in connection with similar elements in the other figures ofthe drawings.

The foregoingdescription of the invention is explanatory thereof andvarious changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in thedetails of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a block letter including, a pair ofside walls disposed in spaced relationship each having at least one rawedge, separate hanger strips engaged on the raw edges of the side wallsoverhanging the inner faces of said walls, inwardly directed flangesalong the inner longitudinal portions of the hanger'strips, a face piecetting between the hanger strips and engaging the flanges, spacedfastenings between the face piece and the flanges, and a continuousvitreous coating uniting the hanger strip with the side walls and withthe face piece and extending over the walls, the face piece and thehanger strips.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a block letter including, a pair ofside walls disposed in spaced relationship, separate hanger stripsengaged with the side wall and overhanging the inner faces of saidwalls, inwardly directed flanges along the inner longitudinal portionsof the hanger strips, a face piece tting between the hanger strips andengaging the flanges, spaced fastenings between the face piece and theanges and between the hanger strips and the side walls, and a continuousvitreous coating uniting the hanger strip with the side walls and withthe face piece and extending over the walls, the face piece and thehanger strips.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination of, a facepiece having opposed raw edges, side wall pieces bounding the raw edgesof the face piece and having raw edges, hanger strips hung on the rawedges of the side wall v pieces therebetween and having supports for theface piece, whereby said face piece is supported between the hangerstrips, the face piece being inset with respect to the raw edges of theside wall pieces, electric spot welds between the face piece and thehanger supports, said welds being spaced from each other and spaced fromthe edges of the face piece and the strip.

4. A device of the class described including, oppositely spaced sidewalls each having at least one raw edge, hanger strips each having alongone longitudinal margin an inverted U-shaped hanger engaged over the rawedge of one of the side walls, a face strip disposed between the hangerstrips inwardly of the hangers thereof, supports for the face stripcarried by the hanger strips, spot welds between the face strip and thehanger supports, other spot welds between the hanger strips and the sidewalls, and a continuous vitreous coating extending over the side wallsand the strips.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, with inwardly directed flangesalong the longitudinal edge portions of the side walls opposite theirraw edges, and a bottom strip secured to side wall flanges.

JOHN B. MCMATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 10,871 Weller et al Oct. 15,1878 2,070,478 Fortunato et al. Feb. 9, 1937 2,141,955 Lang Dec. 27,1938

